Bottom-filler for welt-shoes.



' E. W. BURT.

BOTTOM FILLER FOR WELT SHOES.

l APPLICATION HLED OCT.1

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

i it i 1W5? Mal/1%,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD W. BURT, 0F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOTTOM-FILLER FOR WELT-SHOES.

Specification of Letters lPatent.

Patented Apr. 18, 1916.

Application filed October 1, 1915. 1 Serial No. 53,588.

To all whomz'tmayconcern." l i Be it known that I, EDWARD W. BURT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at obviate squeaking andcreaking of the leather, to maintain the inner and outer soles inconstant position relative tov each other while permitting greatflexibility of the same, to make the sole of the shoe water and moistureproof, to inhibit deterioration of the filler through humidity andvariations of temperature, to prevent cutting away of the channel lip ofthe insole, to increase the duration of wear of the sole, to increasethe therapeutic value of the shoe particularly in any shoe designedfor-the cure of flat foot, to decrease the cost of manufacture, and inother ways to improve and render more useful. and eflic'ient theproperties and arrangement of the'va'rious parts of shoe bottoms. r

In the manufacture of Welted boots and shoes in the United States, it isgenerally the custom, after the Welt has been sewed to the insole,linings and upper, to introduce within the hollow space formed betweeninner edges of the welt sea-m inclosing the outer face of the insole, afluid filling compound substance known as the bot tom filler. Suchfilling is usually composed of ground cork, ground leather,.and-

other powdered substances combined with some well known adhesive such asrubber cement, glue or the like. It is ordinarily applied in the form ofa soft paste to the face of the soleby means of a flat knife to secure auniform surface flush with the welt, and in order that it may be of theproper consistency for laying in the said hollow and at the same timedry rapidly, the filler is usually heated and softened before applying.Even when at its maximum dryness, however, the said filler after it hasin and adjacent thereto.

been laid retains in a marked degree the property of fluidity, acondition which is increased by the heat and pressure of the human footor exposure of the shoe to snow, water or dampness under the conditionsof dallywear. Because of the fluidity of such compound mixture, there isan irresistible tendency of the filler to flow'along the lines of leastresistance away from all points where pressure is exerted by the foot ofthe wearer of the shoe, particularly the ball thereof, so that, in manyinstances the pressure of the belief the foot upon the inner sole is sogreat, the filling substance will spread toward the toe and shank of theshoe, packing into the part of the shoe where .no pressure is exerted,and the inner sole will sink at'the regions of pressure and causeindentations, breaks. ridges or pockets As a result, the wearer of theshoe is occasioned great discomfort, and often sustains calli, flatfoot,

transverse arch trouble, orsores to such an extent as to render the shoeunwearable, or by the change of gait brought about by such indentations,etc., to cause the shoe to quickly wear out. So general and serious isthis defect Where such form of filler is used, that it is commonknowledge that shoe dealers are returning each year to the manufacturerthousands of pairs of shoes as imperfect in construction for this causeand are requiring the same to be replaced or In some instances,

credit given therefor. paper or similar substances are used as fillers,but are subject to the objections above set forth, being absorbent andcompressible incharacter and subject to'displacementin 'whole orin partupon the application of continuous pressure particularly in the presenceof perspiration or moisture from whatever cause, or of the heat of thehuman foot.

After years of research and study, I have i invented a bottom fillerwhich is freezfrom the defects above described.

Primarily my invention consists of a flexible insert sole ofnon-compressible material, to each side of which is cemented anon-extensible waterproof fabric covering.

It also consists in other novel arrangements or combinations ofmaterials and modifications illustrated in the drawing and hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

Reference is hereby made to the drawing wear to which jected.

in which similar numerals of designation refer to similar partsthroughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a view of the bottom of a shoe upper which has beensubjected to the operations of lasting and welting, and Show 'ing mybottom filler in position; Flg. 2 1s a new inperspective of my improvedinsert; and Fig. 3- is a section of the upper shown in Fig. 1 after theoutsole has been stitched to the welt.

Referring to the drawing: To each side of the insert sole .4: cut from asheet of material which is substantially noncompress ble by the weightof the human body and which is sufliciently flexible to bend easily, Isecure the protective layers 5 and 6. The insert sole 4 is preferably ofleatherboard or other solid substance which is non-yield-' ing incharacter and at the same time is sufficiently pliable to admit of beingbent in two different directions, as is required by the forepart of theshoe when in theactj of walking;

By the term non-compressible? as used in this specification, I desireto'be under stood as designating the property of the -sole 4 to maintainconstantly its uniform thickness and to resist compression,disintegration or separation orchange of position brought about by thehuman foot under the conditions of pressure, temperature and shoes areconstantly sub- Preferably the protective layers 5 and- 6 are made ofcanvas or other fabric suitable for the purpose, and have'part of theirthreads running longitudinally of the sole 4, and a part runninglaterally thereof in order to prevent any material extension of saidlayers either longitudinally'or laterally. By such arrangement ofthreads, I guard against any possible tendency of the sole to be pulledout of shape in the directions specified, and against any likelihood ofa consequent change in thickness. As is obvious, however, suitablematerials other than fabric could be used for forming the said layers,and similar results could be se cured. p v

By the 'words longitudinally andlaterally non-extensible as used inconnectionwith the protective layers5 and 6, I refer to a property ofsuch layers which is not necessarily cdnfined to the use of fabrictherefor or" to the particular arrangement saturatedvwith the mixture,and firmly ce mented together. The said mixture is preferably of thefollowing formula, to wit, three quarts wood alcohol, two pounds Manilagum chips, one-half pound shellac, two pounds rosin, two pounds gummastic, one ounce borax and one-quarter ounce paraflin oil. I

In order to secure the best results, my improved bottom filler is'shaped to cover the insole 7 and channel. lip 8, and to extend as far asthe rib formed bythe welt seam 9. In applying the said filler, I firstpreferably cement down the channel lip 8, and after again heating thefiller to soften the compound with which it is impregnated, I firmlypress the filler against the outer surface of the insole and-adjacentparts above designated. The outsole 10 is thereupon sewed to the welt11, and the usual steps of shoe making completed, the operation ofleveling serving to unite the outer faces of my bottom filler with allparts of the shoe adjacent thereto.

By shaping the filler as above described, the'edges of the same closelyregister with the between substance and trimmed edge of the upperadjacent to the welt seam, which fact taken in connection with theutilization of the fabric layers '5 and 6 and with the thoroughcementing together of all the parts by the, proximity of the humanfoot;**and since I have completely guarded against lat- .eraldisplacement of any part of the filler by pressure of the foot upon theinsole there isno' tendency for indentations, ridges or hollows to formbeneath the ball or other parts of the sole of the foot, and all faultyconstruction in this respect isentirely removed.

As is obvious, various changes and'modr fications may be made in'theconstruction of my improved device Without departing from the spirit orpurpose of my invention;

What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is,

1. A bottom filler for welt shoes, consisting of a flexible insert ofnon-compressible material of substantial thickness, to each face ofwhich is secured a sheet of material longitudinally and laterallynon-extensible. 2. A bottom filler for Welt shoes, consisting of aflexible insert of non-compressible material of substantial thickness,to each face of Which is afiixed a longitudinally and laterallynon-extensible fabric, part of the threads of which run longitudinallythereof and part of Which run laterally thereof, whereby said insert ismade longitudinally and laterally non-extensible.

3. A bottom filler for Welt shoes, consisting of a flexible insert ofnon-compressible material of substantial thickness, shaped to cover theinsole and channel lip and to extend as far as the rib formed by theWelt seam, to each face of which insert is secured a longitudinally andlaterally non-extensible fabric, part of the threads of which runlongitudinally thereof and part of which run laterally thereof, wherebysaid insert is made longitudinally and laterally non-ex tensible.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing Witnesses, this 30th day of September 1915.

EDWARD W. BURT.

Witnesses:

W. NEWTON BENSON, HERBERT MANN CHASE.

